LOS ANGELES
-- A Los Angeles federal judge has cleared the way for the
makers of the antidepressant drug Paxil to include language in ads
that the drug is non-habit-forming.

Judge Mariana Pfaelzer initially banned
the language in August in a decision growing out of a civil lawsuit.

But Pfaelzer reconsidered the ruling after lawyers for the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration argued that it had approved the
commercials in advance after examining the effects of Paxil.

"We are pleased that the judge has
reviewed additional scientific evidence and the expert opinion
presented by the Food and Drug Administration," said David Stout,
president of U.S. Pharmaceuticals at GlaxoSmithKline. "Experts
including the FDA and leading physician and mental health
organizations agree that antidepressant medications like Paxil are
non-habit-forming."

The ruling for Paxil maker GlaxoSmithKline comes about a year
after a civil lawsuit was filed on behalf of 35 patients who claimed
they suffered withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, fever and
"electric zaps" to their bodies.